diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 0f976b1..77ce1b2 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -28,15 +28,6 @@ if(DEBUG)
     set(CMAKE_VERBOSE_MAKEFILE ON)
 endif()
 
-# Update and init submodules by default
-if(NOT MANUAL_SUBMODULES)
-  find_package(Git)
-  if(GIT_FOUND)
-    message(STATUS "Initializing submodules")
-    execute_process(COMMAND git "submodule" "update" "--init" "--recursive")
-  endif()
-endif()
-
 set(WOWNERO_HEAD "f611d5c9e32bc62f1735f6571b0bdb95cc020531")
 set(BUILD_GUI_DEPS ON)
 set(ARCH "x86-64")
@@ -90,6 +81,8 @@ endfunction()
 
 find_package(Git)
 if(GIT_FOUND)
+    message(STATUS "Initializing submodules")
+    execute_process(COMMAND git "submodule" "update" "--init" "--recursive")
     execute_process(COMMAND git rev-parse "HEAD" WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/monero OUTPUT_VARIABLE _WOWNERO_HEAD OUTPUT_STRIP_TRAILING_WHITESPACE)
     if(NOT _WOWNERO_HEAD STREQUAL WOWNERO_HEAD)
         message(FATAL_ERROR "[submodule] Monero HEAD was at ${_WOWNERO_HEAD} but should be at ${WOWNERO_HEAD}")